ePortfolios of the Iron Brigade

Students → Iron Brigade Team → 8th Grade → Mellon MS → Mt. Lebanon SD → Pittsburgh → PA → U.S. → World
Questions/Comments? Please contact: Jeff Holliday (USHistory8), Lori Knox (Math8), Kevin McCann (Conceptual Physics8), Francis Raitano (Language Arts8)

Overview
  • What is a portfolio?
  • What is the purpose?
  • What is included?
  • How do I select artifacts?
  • What will it look like?
  • When is it due?
  • When will I get started?


What is a portfolio?
Your ePortfolio is a learning portfolio. It shows your learning and development over time as you hone the skills that will enable you to be successful at work, in life, and in school.
  • A portfolio is a flexible and powerful tool for documenting learning
    • You select the items that are included
    • You have the opportunity to explain why you chose each item
    • You see how you have grown and changed over time
  • A portfolio includes multiple items and responses to specific questions


What is the purpose?
The ePortfolio helps you demonstrate your growth on the five 21st Century Skills that will help you be successful in the technology age.
  • It can be used to show your range of skills and abilities to the MTLSD educational community, college admission representatives, and/or potential employers.
  • It helps you see your growth!
  • It is a bit like a test of your development on the 21st Century Skills
    • Learn to become an effective team member and a self-directed life-long learner
    • Demonstrate your research abilities
    • Become proficient with communication processes and technology


What is included? Artifacts!
Any school related and school appropriate item can be included. Examples include:
  • PowerPoint presentations or Prezi presentations
  • Research reports or papers
  • Email communication with a teacher or classmate about a project or assignment
  • Wiki discussions
  • A laboratory report written with a classmate
  • Photograph working with others
  • Audio recording of a song
  • A poem from class
  • In short, any student-created video, audio production, interactive graphic work, or print document

You need an artifact from each of the Five 21st Century Skills:
  1. Self Knowledge
  2. Technology Tools
  3. Communication Process
  4. Collaboration and Community
  5. Research and Assessment Tools

You will also need:
  • Skills Resume
  • Personal Education Plan
  • Introduction of Self
  • Self-Reflective Video

Deadlines for submitting artifacts will be identified by the teacher(s) throughout the school year. Each artifact will include a written reflection.


How do I select artifacts?
Since this is a learning portfolio, any school-related and school-appropriate item may be selected.

You should select items that:
  • show good work, but not necessarily your best work.
  • you think you can improve upon.
  • you are proud of and want to show off.
  • you are able to write a reflection about.

If you are unsure whether an item qualifies, consult with your classmates or your teacher(s).


What will it look like?
Your ePortfolio will be viewable by you, your peers, teachers, and parents.
The details of each submission will be up to you, but everyone's portfolio will have the same general appearance.


How do I get started?
1. Create a new page. Title it with your last name. Use the template called "My ePortfolio Page". Enter your full name and select "save".
2. You will find a table divided into two main sections: "Five 21st Century Skills" and "Other Artifacts". It is in this table that you will keep track of your artifacts.
3. Upload your artifacts to an appropriate place on the table (you can change your mind later and move them to another location)
4. Rename artifacts with the following format (Who_What_When) (Example: JHolliday_ReconstructionActivity_5.23.11)


When is it due?
You will need to be continually adding submissions throughout the school year as there is a lot of work required for each artifact


When do I get started?
Now!



References:




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